Thayd

he/they

5.0

(17)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

DMs Guild Writer

LGBTQ+

Neurodivergent

Game Designer

About Thayd

I'm a DM with almost 20 years of tabletop experience! I've been working as a professional DM for about 5 years now, and I'm eager to expand my list of games - and players! I'm available for hire for private groups at a rate of 50 dollars an hour, or you can join one of my games for much less! Hit me up for any additional information!

At a glance

3 years on StartPlaying

287 games hosted

Highly rated for: Inclusive, World Builder, Storytelling

Average response time: 3 hours

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

I became a GM because

there was no other option. I simply had to take the reigns! The endless possibilities of tabletop storytelling pulled me in like a maelstrom dragging me into the unforgiving currents - and like the crushing weight of the ocean, I've been overwhelmed by the need to run games!

My favorite shows/movies are

not appreciated enough! Often confused for the Studio Ghibli film, the series Mononoke has a very special place in my heart. It touches on everything I love about animation - crazy art style, great storytelling, completely unhinged characters, and camera direction live action just can't capture!

When I'm not running games I'm...

either doing something gaming related, or working with advocacy groups. A lot of my time not spent gaming or working on games is spent looking at my immediate are and trying to find something to help out with!

How Thayd runs games

I'm the kind of DM that builds an experience around what the party wants rather than how I personally think the game should be ran. Of course there is always trial and error with new groups, but we'll get there! Personally, I like tactical combat with heavy role-play. Traps and environmental effects that trigger during the fight, enemies with weaknesses and strategies, foes that can be reasoned with or even turned - more than just "Here's a creature from the MM, fight". I enjoy interlocking character stories and rich, fluid worlds where the players can actually influence events in real-time - and where they don't have to wait until they're level 20 to start having an impact!

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

letting a player make their case, and then quickly looking up the rulebook or any word online from the system developers. If we quickly discover the player is in the right, then that's what we do! Otherwise, we keep playing, and wait to address the issue again outside of the game with more time.

I prep by

going over notes left from previous sessions, looking at character backstories, addressing where characters excelled and where they faltered, and then re-arranging my material to better suit the table's ever-evolving needs! Also, by buying maps and then putting them into VTTs. Very tedious work!

Rules are...

put into place to stop conflict between players. The rules are there to add consistency; even if you don't completely agree with them, the rules exist to make sure everyone has a frame of reference to fall back on. Rules don't need to be fully balanced, they just need to be consistent.

Thayd's ideal table

My tables focus on engagement above all else! I want to make an environment where players feel they can express themselves, and I'm looking for players who want to be expressive. Whether it's through intense combat or dramatic roleplay, I want people who speak up to join my table - and I want to construct for those people an environment where they get to fully immerse themselves!

Featured Prompts

If you're into ___, you're going to love my table

Drama! Drama! Drama! Chaotic conflict, heartwarming reunions, star-crossed lovers, heroic sacrifice, malicious heel-turns, masterstroke strategies, nefarious schemes - I love it all, and I do my utmost to make every scene in every session as dramatic as possible!

I love it when a player

asks about their fellow players' characters, the rules of the game when unclear, and the world that they're participating in! Especially that first one above all others - seeing players take the time to focus on each other instead of themselves genuinely makes me feel good!

My table is not the place for...

people who sit back and don't want to participate in conversation or story. I know that there are some tables where this sort of thing works out just fine, and I personally have nothing against this style! But my tables, my adventures, don't allow that. Nor do we allow bigotry in any form, period.